A beachgoer or a commercial entity, such as a hotel or other business, has limited options for securing items on a ground surface at a beach or other outside locations. Such items include bags, coolers, sandals, bicycles, barbeques, surfboards, chairs, boats, pets, wallets and any other valuable, article, belonging or accessory that one would transport to and desire to secure at a beach or other outside location. In one example, such items are generally locked in a vehicle in a parking lot or guarded by at least one person on the beach. In another example, a surfer or swimmer hides such items on the beach while surfing or swimming in the water. In a further example, hotels or other businesses undertake the cumbersome process of placing items, such as chairs, on the beach during business hours and removing those items from the beach after business hours or gathering and securing those items together at the beach after business hours.
Certain security devices for securing items on a beach have been proposed. Examples of these devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,436,214, 4,454,824, 4,664,041, 5,199,361, 5,740,684 and 6,082,157. Generally, such devices employ a fixed-sized security compartment supported by an anchor that is engaged with the ground surface. A typical beachgoer secures items in the anchored security compartment in an attempt to protect the items while engaging in beach activities. Typically, such devices include a multiplicity of components making transport of these devices cumbersome. Additionally, such devices generally only protect those items stored in the anchored security compartment which limits the size and amount of items that a beachgoer or commercial entity can protect while at the beach.
While these devices each provide a particular function, none addresses a broad capability to secure a plurality of different items ranging in size with a compact device that is easily transported. There is thus a need to provide new and different security devices as well as new and different ways to secure items at a beach or other outside location.